


Protective instinct

by Kataang_is_life



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Canon Divergence, Post S3E13, Protective Katara, We Stan katara, What is proofreading?, katara trying to keep The Gaang safe, mom friend katara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:28:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26072677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kataang_is_life/pseuds/Kataang_is_life
Summary: “I’m just trying to keep everyone alive” she murmuredToph pulls katara aside and we find out the real reason she hates Zuko so much(Teen for one swear word)
Relationships: Katara & Toph - Relationship, Katara & Zuko (Avatar)
Kudos: 25





	Protective instinct

**Author's Note:**

> Right so this is after Azula attacked them and instead of ‘the southern raiders’ and a few of the characters are a little out of character but deal with it.

Aang and Zuko trudged back to camp late one night after an exhausting training session, both sweaty and gross, but content. Zuko was proud of how fast aang was learning and was confident he would be able to defeat the father-lord soon. 

As they Appeared in the firelight, kataras face softened at their beat-up appearances before she mentally reprimanded herself and stiffened her face. 

“How nice of you to join us” she drawled. She handed out the soup, and no on missed how zuko got by far the smallest portion. Dinner progressed fairly regularly, Katara often shooting killer glares at zuko.

It was a nice night. the stars were bright and the crickets loud, but spirits were low. Everyone was scared- they were just kids after all. Kids in charge of ending and war that they shouldn’t have any part in. When Katara shot another dangerous look at zuko, Toph had had enough.

“You know what? That’s it! Sugar queen, your coming with me!” She shouted 

“Bu-“ katara started to argue

“Nope! Don’t wanna hear it!” She shot 

“Fine” katara relented, not in the mood to argue right now.

Toph led them away to the beach and they sat on the shore side by side. 

“Ok sweetness, spill” she demanded.  
“Why do you hate zuko so much??”

“Gee, i don’t know? Maybe because he chased us all over the world and tried to kill aang!?” Katara said, voice laced with sarcasm 

Toph didn’t do what she normally would’ve done had it Been anyone else (told them to get their shit together or hit them with mud (or both)), but this was katara, a good friend who always tried to help her and was kind and accepting (normally). 

She swallowed her anger and replied softly, “your lying” 

“What do you mean?” Karara said, almost hyperventilating “of course I’m not” her eyes darted from side to side and her heartbeat sped up dramatically.

“Come on katara. We both know that’s not true” Toph said.

Karara was honestly kinda shocked. Toph never really used peoples real names. Only nicknames (it was her way of distancing herself to avoid the pain of loss), so this was obviously serious. 

“Okay fine”, katara relented. The tide was moving with her breathing now, washing up sand as she took in air, and returning to the ocean as she let it out again

“The truth is, I don’t really hate zuko. Not anymore. But you remember what happened in ba sing se. I trusted him, I offered to help him! And he betrayed me. And aang died. And I know he probably won’t, but what if he betrays us again! What if someone gets hurt! Or worse, killed!” 

She was almost panicking now, revealing to Toph there really was just a scared young teenager behind the front of terrifying motherly leader.

“Sparky wouldn’t do that” Toph said. “Not now”

“I know” katara sounded utterly miserable now.

“I think I do know, deep within myself. But what if he does, and I can’t protect everyone! What if someone gets seriously hurt, and I don’t have spirit water this time?”

“I’m just trying to keep everyone alive” she murmured. 

“We’re just kids, fighting in a war we weren’t even alive to see the start of. And one day someone’s gonna get hurt, and I won’t be good enough to save them”.

Toph was shocked, but also, not really. She knew Sugar Queen had protective instincts, but never even considered katara thought so low of herself.

“You know Sugar Queen, your right and wrong. Sparky won’t betray us. Not again, and your healing is good enough to heal anything thrown your way. We are just kids, but we have each other, and your not alone. You don’t have to protect us all. Now that’s all the sappy stuff your gonna get outta me, so are ready to go back?”

“Yeah. I think I am.” Katara replied

No one else knew what happened that night, but they were all thankful for it, and back at the campfire many things happened. Katara finally let her guard down and smiled at zuko for the first time in forever, and that night they finally acted like kids for once. Carefree and stupid.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey thx for reading please leave a comment with some constructive criticism (no hate please I tried) and feel free to take this and put your own spin on it if you want just give me credit if you do plz thx!


End file.
